Secrets of the Snow
by the-midnight-witch
Summary: A year after the Escape Clause incident, Jack Frost finds that he is adjusting quite well to his thawed life. But when familiar people begin thrusting themselves back into the picture, old wounds resurface, and deadly forces arise that may blot out the entire magical world, Jack begins to realize that starting over is not as easy as he thought. (Set after the third movie)
1. Prologue

_**Hi there, everyone! Felicity-Neverhawk here, tentatively but hopefully putting my work out on the net! I have a bunch of ideas for stories of all kinds that I want to share, and hopefully you will enjoy reading those ideas as they take form. :) **_

_**Anyway, here is a story for one of my favorite movie trilogies...The Santa Clause! *throws colorful confetti* I grew up watching this series as a kid, and made it a tradition every Christmas to catch the movies when they aired on the Disney Channel. I own all three of the movies on DVD now, so I can watch them whenever I want (and even watch them out of season, because why not? ;) ) **_

**_As you can probably tell, this is set after my favorite of the three Santa Clause movies...the third one. I just fell in love with Jack Frost. I mean, it was Martin Short playing the role of Jack, so how could someone not love him in so many ways? Am I right? :D_**

**_In this story I'd like to explore the aftermath of Jack almost ruining Christmas and tricking Scott with the Escape Clause. I would also like to explore other aspects of the magical world that we only see glimpses of in the movies. Finally, I'd like to explore Jack's character, and answer questions we may have been wondering about him - who is his family? How did he get his powers? What made him turn evil in the first place? _**

**_Hopefully this story succeeds in being a fun, interesting tale! We shall certainly see! In the meantime, please enjoy the beginning of what I hope to be an epic journey! _**

**_On a final note, this story is dedicated to the marvelous Martin Short, who celebrates his 65th birthday today, March 26th! Happy birthday, Marty! :)_**

Prologue

It was approaching Jack Frost's first full year of staying at the North Pole since Lucy Miller had melted his heart...and despite what he had initially feared, the winter warlock couldn't remember feeling this happy and free in a long, long time.

Jack had to admit that he was also adjusting quite well in general. And that was a surprise. He'd imagined things would be even more difficult because of his now "slushy" feelings and lingering, mischievous urges. But he had been learning to control himself, thanks to some meaningful talks with his friend Scott Calvin...who just happened to be Santa Claus.

Yes, _the_ Santa Claus.

Jack couldn't resist a smile. _Ah, Scott, _he thought warmly. _You are a truly dear companion. How can I ever repay you for your kindness? _

He supposed taking up residence at the North Pole and assisting the jolly Legendary Figure around the workshop was repayment in some way. On another note it was the least the winter warlock could do, after nearly ruining Christmas.

Jack was actually surprised that Mother Nature hadn't stripped him of his powers when she had been informed of the whole Escape Clause affair. It was an affair that some of the more strong-headed elves liked to refer more "creatively" as _Frost's Flop_ or _Blizzard's Blunder._

But Jack didn't let these obvious insults faze him. In fact, he had come to embrace the onslaught with open arms. He knew he had been foolish, greedy, and evil. He was willing to accept the responsibility for his actions. If people wanted to continue viewing him as the same malicious warlock of winter he had left behind, they were welcome to it. He wasn't about to waste his energy trying to fight back against vicious, stubborn, and petty remarks.

Jack did try to defend himself whenever Bernard, Scott's head elf, griped at him about this and that. Jack knew Bernard well, and Bernard knew him well in turn...far too much for either's liking. That meant that they were strongly aware of each other's pressure points, and subsequently they tried to give one another hell as much as possible.

Sometimes it wasn't so bad, though. Sometimes Bernard and Jack actually managed to communicate in a way that didn't end up with their hands around each other's throats. Now that Jack's heart was melted, he had a sliver of hope that things could be amended between himself and the head elf.

_Only_ a sliver, mind you. Jack knew how determinedly stubborn Bernard could be. It wouldn't do to aspire too much for something that would probably remain forever unattainable.

The winter warlock focused back on the present time now, taking a deep breath and sitting back in the ice-blue Adirondack chair he had conjured up in an empty space of his living room. The whole area was well-furnished, with shades of blues adorning nearly every cushion, lamp, and armrest. There were also wooden tables and bookcases set about which gave the room a homey, rustic appeal.

This was only a part of the large, two story home that Jack had been given by Scott so that he could live more freely and comfortably at the North Pole. It was a giant place, and almost felt like a mansion. It was located near the edge of Elfsburg, the village surrounding the workshop, and despite this fact, Jack didn't feel secluded or cut off. The area he lived in was always alive with elvin activity and cheer.

Jack's mansion-like abode was also a beautiful sight on the outside, too - a marvelous Queen Anne style structure that was painted snowy white and baby blue. It had once been the home of another frosty warlock - Jack's great-grandfather, Jonathen "Old Man" Winter, in fact. Winter, as he was more commonly called in the Frost family and in the history books, had aided the first Santa, Kris Kringle, in building the workshop at the North Pole. Winter had also helped Kringle with the toy-making process.

Perhaps that explained some of Jack's behavior over the past year, the winter Legendary thought as he sipped on a cup of peppermint tea he had prepared to relax himself.

When Kringle first encountered Winter, he had given the cruel, cold-hearted warlock the selfless gift of a toy - if Jack remembered right, this toy had been one of those wooden trains that children liked so much. This act on Kringle's part had touched Winter so profoundly that his heart had been melted and he had become a kinder, gentler soul.

It only made sense that a similar circumstance had happened to Jack which had happened to his great-grandfather - his heart had been touched by warmth, both literally and figuratively. Subsequently the icicle bonds of Jack's heart had fallen away, and the kind, caring dove of his nature had finally been able to flutter its wings and feel freedom.

Jack's hand suddenly halted in mid-air; he had been prepared to take another sip of tea, only...his thoughts had suddenly turned towards a darker aspect of his life. A darkness which he had once believed to be repressed and forgotten, tucked away neatly inside his once icy conscious.

He had just remembered how he'd become frozen in the first place.

_That's in the past, _Jack thought firmly. His hands began shaking against his will, so he placed his cup of tea on a nearby table and calmly took a few deep breaths. _The past is unimportant. Life is about moving ahead and trying not to make the same mistakes you did before. _

Boy, and did Jack have his share of mistakes.

An abrupt knocking on the front door startled Jack out his temporarily gloomy thoughts. Snapping to attention, he jumped up from his seat and padded down the long hallway that led right into the spacious foyer. A moment later Jack's hand was on the doorknob and he found himself pulling on it.

The figure that stood before him on his front porch was none other than Bernard. As usual, the head elf wore a maroon and gold striped shirt, brown pants, black boots, and a dark, emerald green beret, out of which curls of brown hair seemed to sprout like twisting vines.

"Ah, what a pleasant surprise, Bernard," Jack greeted with a smile. "What brings you to my doorstep this afternoon?"

"I'm afraid this isn't a personal trip, Frost," Bernard retorted, his eyebrows already drawing downwards in irritation. "Santa insisted I come here and fetch you. It seems there's a problem at the workshop and he needs your help."

Jack chuckled in mild disbelief.

"Seriously?" he sighed. "I really wasn't planning to get back in my suit anytime soon. You know how I am about looking decent in public."

That was certainly true. He had just shed his velvet blue suit and accompanying garments in exchange for a more relaxing blue sweater over a plain white T-shirt, along with black jeans and blue Converse. He was in no mood to get back in his formal ensemble at the moment, even for an emergency.

As expected, Bernard groaned at Jack's comments.

"Frost, it doesn't matter if you're wearing a suit or even if you look like a bum," he said. "All I know is that Santa needs you at the workshop pronto and that I'm going to be late getting back to my shift if I keep talking to you about this."

"Ouch." Jack faked a grimace. "And here I thought we were having a nice conversation for once, Berns."

_"Don't _call me Berns," Bernard warned. His eyes flared like fire. "You know how much I hate that. So just stop."

Jack raised his hands in surrender. "Alright, alright, take it easy, head elf. The nickname was only meant in jest."

Bernard glared at the warlock for a moment with a mixture of aggravation and hatred. Then he sighed, and beckoned Jack to follow him with one hand.

"Santa wanted me to escort you there," Bernard explained, when Jack stepped out onto the porch and gave the head elf a puzzled look. "He figured it would be better that way. I can't really fathom _why,_ though."

Jack merely nodded. He wasn't going to object to Bernard tagging along, even if he didn't enjoy the prospect of it. Besides, if his ideas of what Scott needed him for were at all significant, the warlock figured the extra reinforcement wouldn't hurt anything.

So, closing the door of his home behind him, Jack followed Bernard down the bustling city street towards the workshop that lay beyond, praying that whatever was happening, it would be trivial and not upset the balance that the winter warlock of legend had finally found within himself.

_**So, what did you think? Interesting enough so far? Please leave your comments and tell me if you enjoyed this or have any ideas about what might happen next! :)**_

_**~Felicity-Neverhawk**_


	2. Chapter One

Chapter One

The walk to the workshop was made in silence. Jack, for his part, was glad that Bernard was not in a talkative mood - not that he ever really was, to be honest. Still, the winter warlock was grateful for the head elf's constant and predictable character, because it gave him the opportunity to think over his experiences at the North Pole once more.

Things certainly had not been easy over the past year. It had taken a long while before the elves, Scott, Mrs. Claus (who Jack still found uncomfortable to address as just Carol) and most importantly, the other Legendary Figures to start trusting him. From January all the way up until early April, Jack remembered the wary, cautious looks he had been given by the majority of the North Pole inhabitants..._and_ the Council.

But by late April through mid-July, a shift in the collective attitude could be observed. People started getting used to the new, defrosted Jack - slowly, of course, but with more certainty. Acceptance had finally begun to settle in, and Jack had watched as elves who'd once sworn to remain his enemy suddenly wished to be his friend. There were, of course, still a handful of elves who obstinately continued to mock and criticize him; but those were the elves whose remarks Jack resolutely ignored or embraced, depending on his mood.

From July onwards, however, most of the North Pole inhabitants and all of the Council members had fostered a new perspective of him, and began to treat the warlock with a sense of respect and decency. In turn the winter warlock found he had developed a new appreciation for these people, people once so angered and wounded by his selfish antics. It was gratifying to know he was being accepted even after what had happened recently, and in the past.

Jack still remembered the first time things began changing like this. He still remembered the shock he felt when an elf came up to him and actually had a delighted smile on their face - a genuine smile directed _at him,_ in broad daylight, for _no_ apparent reason.

As it happened, that elf had been Curtis...Scott's number two elf.

Jack smiled to himself. There was something about the nerdy, slightly awkward thirteen-hundred-year-old elf that was both down-to-earth and charming. Perhaps part of this impression came from Jack feeling as though he could be Curtis's father. Jack _was_ over forty-hundred years old, after all.

The idea of a true family - as in a wife and children - had hardly ever graced his thoughts, however. Oh sure, he'd had a string of girlfriends throughout his lifetime, but he had royally screwed up every single one of those relationships. The only person he had ever come close to truly, dearly loving had been a wonderful spring witch by the name of Elisa.

_Oh, snowballs, _Jack inwardly moaned. _Why did I have to think of Elisa at a time like this? At a time when I'm getting more and more worried that something drastic has happened at the workshop? I honestly don't need problems from the past bothering me right now and adding to my present worries._

It didn't help that Bernard was choosing to be vague, or was perhaps fairly clueless, as to what was going on. Both notions were equally frustrating. The only other times Jack was requested at the workshop was to chat with Scott about paperwork or personal matters, occasionally, help with the toy production lines, or to do a few various other jobs around the place. Scott only asked for his presence via word of mouth from Bernard if a serious situation had arisen, if there was an important message from the Council, or if there was a Council meeting coming up.

Knowing the Council, anything they had to say was either monotonously boring or extremely troubling. There was no in between. The fact that Bernard had expressed urgency in Jack being at the workshop made him suspect that this was likely something that fell in the extremely troubling category. Whether the Council was involved in it or not, Jack had yet to determine fully.

Jack's contemplation was cut short as both he and Bernard emerged out into what was known as Christmas Center - the heart of Elfsburg, where the most popular shops and elves resided, and where the workshop sat in all its cheerful glory. Far above the heads of the winter warlock and the head elf, the shimmering light of the glacier walls that protected the North Pole seemed to glow with the pure, multi-colored energy of Christmas Spirit itself.

_It's amazing how you can appreciate the little, wonderful things more when your point of view has been slightly altered, _Jack thought.

As the two figures continued walking in the direction of the workshop, Jack said hello to a few elves passing by; he also waved and called out to a few of the more distant North Pole inhabitants milling about in the town center. Christmas Center as a whole was, as usual, pulsing with joy and vitality. The sound of laughter and the smell of gingerbread mingled together in the air to create a pleasant, homey vibe, as well.

Already Jack could feel his nerves and muscles relax as the familiar activity reminded him of how grateful he was to have been given another chance...and even though this was his third strike, so to speak, he knew he wouldn't be making any foolish mistakes such as nearly ruining the essence of Christmas again. Mother Nature could have just as easily stripped away his powers and banished him to some dark corner of the magical world (or the mortal world, for that matter). It was only by the combined efforts of Scott, Mrs. Claus, and a few of the more well-known and respected elves to change the Council member's minds on the matter. This was one of several things that Jack could only dream of repaying for.

"Let me get the door," Jack said, abruptly breaking out his thoughts. He trotted gracefully ahead of Bernard, and in a prompt fashion he pulled open one of the heavy oak doors. Gesturing politely with one hand to urge the head elf inside, Jack added with a joking flourish, "A pleasure as always to have you, _Monsieur tête de fées."_

Bernard stopped in his tracks to roll his eyes and groan at the warlock.

"Ha, ha, very funny showing off your fluency in the French language," he replied, one hand resting on his hip. "Now, if you'd be so kind as to _not_ call me the "head fairy," could we please hassle up to Santa's office? I'm becoming very, very late where getting back to a number of important jobs is concerned, as you're well aware of."

There was a pause as Bernard huffed and Jack smirked; then the head elf readjusted his beret, whirled on his heel, and crossed the threshold into the workshop, Jack following close behind.

* * *

"So what's the deal anyway?" Jack asked when they had reached the workshop's residential area, reserved for the Claus's and a few odds-and-ends rooms where experiments for new toys had taken root. "You said Scott needed me ASAP, but you never said specifically what for."

"To be honest, I don't know what's going on," Bernard responded. "I literally walked into his office and he told me to go find you. Apparently something had come up that had unsettled him, but who knows what. Maybe the man who was in the office with Santa is the reason."

"Man?" Jack repeated, eyebrows narrowing. "What man? Why was there a man in Scott's office? Who was he?"

"Beats me. I only caught a glimpse of him. He had snow white hair and was wearing a warlock's robe, but that's all I remember. Oh, wait...now that I think about it he might have had a beard, too."

Jack thought about this description for a moment, trying to match it with anyone he knew back in Coventry, the kingdom where all magical beings were from. No one in particular sprang to mind, however, which left Jack feeling even more troubled. What was an unknown warlock doing here at the North Pole, and did his arrival have to do with problems stirring up in Coventry?

As Jack and Bernard finally reached Scott's office door, the winter warlock felt certain that they would find answers to these questions very, very soon.

* * *

_There was nothing but the smell of decay and destruction in the air. As Queen Miranda padded her way carefully between the patches of scorched earth and the charred remains of once-noble cottages, she couldn't help but feel a great sadness tug at her heart. _

_This place...it had once been a mighty town. A town where many a merchant had sought to sell their wares to the good people, where vendors had crowded the streets every solstice to celebrate the coming seasons. There had been lights, laughter, and life in boundless supply here...once. _

_Now it was all blackened, choked, obliterated. Any sign of life had been snuffed out like a candle one by one until the sun had finally peaked out over the tainted horizon. It was tainted both literally and figuratively, of course - literally, because the haze of smoke and ash left over from the attack had sufficiently poisoned the skies with blackness, and figuratively, because this new dawn had opened up upon the new wound that had been made to the skin of Coventry. _

_Queen Miranda sighed despondently, stopping for a moment in a charred clearing to allow a few tears to slip from her eyes. This had been going on for far too long. Her people had had to live with this terrible darkness hanging over them for twenty years now, and nothing she nor her husband King Aron did seemed to make that darkness go away. If anything it just grew stronger, destroying more towns and lives as it went, while at the same time slowly consuming Coventry bit by bit. And this path was certain to continue, for Queen Miranda and King Aron had no idea how to stop the spread of the darkness. _

_At last, the Queen wiped her eyes with the sleeve of her elegant blue dress, and took a deep breath to compose herself. Then she turned around, meeting the eyes of her chief advisors, who had followed her here on horseback. _

_"I am ready to return to the castle now," she called out to them. "Please check that my horse is still prepared for travel, and I shall join you both in a moment."_

_One of the advisors, a witch of the sun named Ileana, nodded, and called back, "Yes, your Highness!" _

_Ileana then turned to her companion, a warlock of the moon who went the name of Karsh, and said in a softer, worried tone of voice, "Do you think King Aron is safe at the castle with the twins?" _

_Karsh managed a reassuring smile. "Stop worrying, Ileana," he said gently. "The King and the twins are_ perfectly_ safe. The darkness has made no move to attack Co__ventry Castle directly, and even if it did we're prepared."_

_"I know, but..." Ileana trailed off and bit her lip anxiously._

_Karsh's brow furrowed, and he gazed with growing concern at his fellow advisor. "There's something still bothering you, isn't there?" he asked. "You're worried that the darkness will find a way to reach the twins no matter what it takes." _

_Ileana's light green eyes widened in surprise. "How did you know?" _

_"I'm a warlock of the moon, remember?" Karsh smiled slightly. "I have inclinations towards telepathy and other extra-sensory powers. Besides, I've been vaguely worrying about the same thing."_

_Ileana smiled a little, as well. "Of course," she said. "Well, you're right in any case. I'm still worried about the twins' safety. I mean, what if something slips by the tiniest fraction and we lose them? I couldn't bear that...neither could the King and Queen." _

_"We'll be as flawless as we can," Karsh promised, as he took one of Ileana's hand and placed a soft kiss on top of it. "We'll fend off the darkness at every possible turn. And if it truly manages to best us, we'll have no other choice but to send the twins away...where the darkness can't possibly reach them." _

_"Hopefully it doesn't come to that." Ileana pulled Karsh's outstretched towards her and likewise kissed it, a sad sigh escaping her. "All we can do is hope."_

_Karsh nodded in agreement. "Hope is all we have left," he said, "and sometimes, hope alone can create miracles."_

_"Or save kingdoms." _

_Karsh nodded again. Then with a last smile, the two magical advisors turned and began to prepare the horses for the voyage back to Coventry Castle. _

* * *

"I brought Frost as you requested, sir," Bernard said as he opened Scott's office door and stepped inside.

Scott's office was always cheerfully warm, the smell of cinnamon and sugar cookies permeating the room and giving it just as homey a feeling as Christmas Center. Today was the exception, however. Instead it seemed as though a tense, unnatural curtain had been dropped over the whole room, masking the warmth and cheer. No, _choking_ it...like a thick, black sheet.

Scott was standing at his desk, a troubled expression on his face as he turned his head towards his two visitors. A figure, presumably the one that Bernard had described from earlier, stood with their back to the head elf and Jack in the upper right-hand corner of the room, beside a bookshelf.

"Ah, there you are," Scott said, though whether he was referring to Jack or Bernard, neither of them were certain.

There was an awkward but tense pause. Finally, Jack cleared his throat, clasped his hands behind his back, and stepped closer to Scott.

"So, what's the problem, _mon ami?" _the winter warlock asked. "One doesn't simply call up the Prince of Frost in an urgent fashion for nothing."

Another pause followed. Then Scott took a deep breath, cast a unreadable glance in the robed figure's direction, and turned back to address Bernard and Jack.

"I've just received some troubling news," the legend of Christmas told them. "I don't completely understand what's going on, or how long we have to prepare, but after a bit of persuading by that man standing in the corner there, I thought you'd like to be in the know of things, Jack. I mean, it's just awful. Awful and hideous and devastating!"

"Whoa, whoa, hold on a second." Jack threw up his hands, hoping the gesture would calm Scott down. "What in the name of hail are you talking about? What do we have to prepare for, and what's so awful? Please just tell us what's wrong, but _calmly,_ alright?"

A chuckle drifted out from the corner where the mysterious man stood; a moment later he turned and revealed the full splendor of snowy hair, beard, and robes he possessed. There was nothing at unusual about any of these factors, for warlocks often donned long, flowing garments and grew out their facial hair.

No, the only truly startling thing was that Jack recognized this warlock. In fact he knew him very well...so well that an involuntary shiver of dread and shock soon rippled down his spine.

"J-Jonathen?" Jack found himself stammering, as he leaned against the edge of Scott's desk for support. "My gods...is it really you?"

Bernard, who had been standing with an annoyed frown on his face and with his arms crossed, suddenly looked between Jack and the stranger in a startled and concerned way.

"Are you alright?" the head elf asked the former, squeezing his free arm. Normally he didn't give two burnt gingerbread cookies about how the winter warlock was feeling; but the profound effect this other warlock had had upon him was perturbing even to Bernard. Words like _evil _and _darkness _were beginning to spring to mind as Bernard studied this cool, collected character before him.

"It really has been a long time, hasn't it, Jack?" the man who had been called Jonathen said, as if the head elf was not even there. There was a regretful hue tinged in both the man's eyes and his voice.

Jack remained silent, his eyes diverting to the floor as he shook and breathed in an unsteady manner. Bernard kept his hand on Jack's arm as he stole a look in Scott's direction. The Christmas legend was also looking between the two warlocks, but mostly at Jack, because his glittering blue eyes were studying Jack's reaction anxiously.

"Forgive me for causing your friend such distress, Mr. Claus," the man called Jonathen apologized, clasped his hands in front of him. "I have brought about enough concerns already by telling you of the situation in Conventry. Let me explain myself. You see, I did not only come here to warn you of the dangers persisting in other parts of the magical world." Jonathen gazed around slowly between Scott, Jack and Bernard, then rested his eyes back upon Scott. "I also came to see Jack, and hopefully make amends for things that have transpired in our past."

"Past?" Bernard repeated with wide eyes. "You mean you and Frost really _do_ know each other?"

"Of course," Jonathen replied with a charming smile. "You see, my full name is Jonathen Hailstorm Frost. As you can tell, the name clearly explains itself. I'm a member of the Frost family. But I'm not merely a distant relative...though Jack and I have been estranged as they say for quite some time now."

With a twinkle of his ice blue eyes, Jonathen went on radiantly, "I don't mean to beat around the bush. I suppose it's just my nerves. What I'm essentially trying to say, gentlemen, is that I am not only related to Jack, but that I am...his brother."

**_Well, my plan to write ahead has not been very successful so far. I have only had time to write out this chapter, and it has been painfully slow. Hopefully I can commit to sticking with my schedule after this. In the meantime you guys get to enjoy another chapter, while I try and sort things out! _**

**_By the way, I'm not entirely sure where this is going. I'm still working on the plot, though I do have a general idea of what direction I'll pursue. Please bear with me! _**

**_Finally, I would like to point out that I used elements from the live-action Disney movie T*Witches in this story. I do not own that movie, the characters, nor the kingdom of Conventry in which the movie takes place; I am simply using these elements to add a certain richness to my story and to show my love of many aspects of the Disney franchise. :) _**

**_Thank you for your time and patience, and I hope you all enjoyed this chapter!_**

**_~Felicity-Neverhawk_**


	3. Chapter Two

Chapter Two

"You're Jack's brother?" Bernard exclaimed, hardly able to believe his ears.

Jonathen nodded, chuckling lightly at the wide-eyed look on Bernard's face.

"I do believe I _am_ making things confusing and complicated for everyone here, Mr. Claus," Jonathen remarked as he turned to Scott (whose mouth was shamelessly agape). "My apologies. I have a tendency to make situations uncomfortable, as my own family can attest to without a second thought."

At this last remark, Jonathen turned to look at Jack, who had turned as pale as a sheet and was still shaking ever so slightly. When Jack sensed his brother's eyes on him, however, his striking blue eyes flickered upwards and offered Jonathen a cold glare. Jonathen promptly shifted his attention back to Scott and Bernard, grimacing in a rueful fashion.

"I only meant to warn you all of the goings-on in Coventry, and since I was coming here...well, I figured I would at least say hello and have a chat with my headstrong twin brother," the other warlock explained.

Bernard's and Scott's eyebrows shot up and disappeared into their hairlines simultaneously. Looking past the beard and the elegant warlock robe - which was light blue patterned with real snowflakes, and with edges that were also stained white by dry ice - looking past all of that, it was suddenly apparent that Jack and Jonathen were indeed twins. For some reason it had not been noticeable before, perhaps due to Jonathen's slightly rougher features and huskier voice, as well as his beard.

"Ah, yes. It's interesting, isn't it?" Jonathen smiled. "Two warlocks who look alike and have the same powers. It's certainly a rare occurrence in the magical world."

Bernard cleared his throat, flashing a look in Scott's direction awkwardly. "So," the head elf said after a uncertain interval of silence. "You mentioned something about, uh, Coventry, Mr. Frost?"

"Please, call me Jon. And yes, I did indeed mention Coventry." Jon, as he now referred to himself, stepped forward, clasping his hands in front of him. "Over the past forty or so years, Coventry - the magical kingdom where all varieties of myths and fairytales were born - has been under siege by a great, all-pervading black cloud. It has been called many things...the shadowy destroyer, or the maw of death, just to name a few. But the common name for it is simply "the darkness." Jack knows perfectly well what I'm talking about, because forty years ago the king and queen of Coventry took us under their care, just as the darkness was preparing a large-scale attack upon the heart of the kingdom. We were only eighteen hundred when we first came to live in the king and queen's castle, and were more vulnerable than we ever thought to the darkness eating away at the world we knew."

"Wait!" Bernard interposed, holding up his hands. "Don't tell me you're referring to the beginning of the War of Darkness? Because what you're talking about sounds awfully familiar, and not in a good way. Not at all."

Jon nodded gravely. "I am indeed talking about the War, head elf Bernard," he confirmed. "It is a war which may soon be repeated if current events are not fixed. But I'm getting a little ahead of myself. Let me continue to paint you a picture of the past, so that you will better understand the present..."

* * *

_It was common knowledge that Jack and Jonathen Frost were two of the most powerful winter warlocks in Coventry. __The kingdom had not seen such mastery of the craft of winter-bending since their great-grandfather Old Man Winter had been born as the first warlock to truly understand and take complete control of such wild forces as snow, ice, and blizzards._

_There was one thing that was not common knowledge about the Frost twins, however - their abilities far exceeded that of their great-grandfather, to the point that these abilities had the potential to create great goodness in the world...or terrible evil. _

_What was also not known until much later was that the darkness was aware of this fact, and that it used it to its advantage._

_The darkness' plan was simple and effective. It was going to persuade one of the Frost twins to join its cause._

* * *

_Queen Miranda and King Aron had heard rumors of Jack and Jon being in some sort of danger, but they were not certain just what this danger was, or if the Frost twins were truly in need of protection. Nevertheless, the king and queen soon decided that the best way to ensure Jack and Jon's safety was to take them under their care and keep a close eye on them. Old Man Winter had done many good deeds for Coventry's royal family and the rest of its people, so the king and queen also considered their actions to be a selfless debt in repayment to Winter for watching over his great-grandsons. _

_The twins shortly moved into Coventry Castle, and were each assigned one of the king and queen's magical advisors, men and women who exhibited particular types of magic and were extensively knowledgeable in magical history and the craft in general. Advisors also had the interesting ability to not grow older after they reached a certain age. _

_Jack and Jon quickly developed strong friendships towards their advisors; one was a sun witch named Ileana, and the other was a moon warlock named Karsh. They were Queen Miranda and King Aron's most trusted and experienced advisors, and had often been called upon in many dire situations. _

_For awhile, Ileana and Karsh were able to protect their young charges. Being only eighteen hundred at the time, Jack and Jon had been of the opinion that they were invincible and could do whatever they pleased. Well, at least Jack had had that opinion. Being the more free-spirited and mischievous of the twins, Jack could sometimes persuade his reserved but at times smooth-talking brother Jon to pull practical jokes or sneak around prohibited areas of the Castle. With their advisors around to keep them - and Jack especially - in line, however, they could learn to adjust to their new life, and learn that they had to keep themselves and the kingdom safe._

_ And adjust and learn they did. Five years passed as the twins stayed in Coventry Castle, the king, queen, Ileana and Karsh quickly becoming their extended family of sorts. _

_There were drawbacks to living at the Castle, however. Jon and Jack were not permitted to leave the grounds, not even to stroll around the gardens. It had been redeemed too dangerous to expose one's self to the outside world, in fear of drawing the darkness' attention. The only time anyone left Coventry Castle was when the king and queen occasionally examined the damage done by the darkness to nearby villages. But they were always brief and careful, and traveled with Karsh and Ileana as their protectors at all times. _

_Jack and Jon knew this, and were alright with staying in the Castle. But eventually, when the twins turned twenty-two hundred, Jack, the mischievous, trouble-making twin, grew restless. He wanted to venture beyond the safe, cozy little world he had been living in for what seemed like ages. He wanted to actually do something to help the king and queen in their efforts to fight the darkness._

_ Ileana and Karsh tried to persuade Jack that there was nothing he could do to help, that his priority to remain in the Castle with his brother Jon and make certain their powers did not fall into the wrong hands. But this only stoked the fires of Jack's resentment and anger even more, to the point that one evening, when everyone was asleep, he slipped out of the Castle and ventured out to one of the villages that had been destroyed by the darkness. _

_Little did Jack Frost know that disobeying the ones he cared for the most would come with terrible consequences._

* * *

"I thought I was doing the right thing," Jack piped up. "I thought...that if I went out and tried to reason with the darkness myself that I could single-handedly save Coventry, and put an end to everyone's troubles - including my own."

The winter warlock had stayed silent for a long time by this point, and hearing him now came as a surprise to everyone, including his brother Jon. Also surprising was that Jack's voice sounded so different - soft, strained, and tinged with a deep sadness. It was quite unlike the confident, suave timber of his usual voice, one that frequently teased and laughed and trickled with merry mischief.

But all of that was gone now. A weight in the form of regret had fallen upon Jack's shoulders, crushing his carefree spirit, instilling a grave sense of responsibility within him. It was unsettling even to Bernard how Jack was reacting to this unearthing of his past, because he had never seen the warlock in such anguish before.

"You shouldn't have done it, Jack," Jon said. His head was bowed slightly as if in thought, his eyes diverted to the floor. After a moment, however, those eyes finally flickered upwards to gaze in pity at Jack.

"Why couldn't you listen to the king and queen? To Ileana and Karsh? Everything would have been alright if you had just kept your restlessness at bay and thought about your own safety."

"I wanted to help stop the darkness," Jack growled in reply. "I didn't want to be stuck living at that Castle forever, Jon. I wanted to _do_ something, unlike you...the submissive scholar who hid himself in the library and listened to whatever he was told!"

Jon's face darkened visibly. One of his hands also curled into a fist at his side, and as it did a soft but chilling wind stirred the room, rustling the edges of his robe as well as playing menacingly against Jack's, Scott's, and Bernard's clothing.

"At least I didn't wander foolishly into danger," Jon countered, as he took a step forward. "At least I was the smart one who realized what would happen if the darkness got ahold of winter magic!"

Jack looked for a moment like he wanted to start screaming at Jon, for his face turned blue with rage. But something seemed to calm him somewhat, and within a second his face returned to normal, and his tense figure relaxed slightly. The winter warlock still seemed far from angry when he finally retorted, " I don't want to talk about this anymore. I think it would be best if you'd just leave."

But Jon shook his head firmly. "I'm afraid I can't do that," he insisted.

"And why not?" Jack said through gritted teeth.

"Because I made a promise to someone," Jon replied. Now a sad tone entered his voice just as it had Jack's, and dulled the agitated gleam in his ice blue eyes. "I promised to talk to you about our past, and forgive you for what you did to me, our family, and the kingdom of Coventry. And I promised to apologize for everything I've done to hurt _you,_ as well. The gods only know the kind of squabbles we had over the years."

"Who did you make a promise to?" Jack demanded.

"I'm not at liberty to say right now," was Jon's response.

That made Jack completely snap. In a rush of freezing air and snowflakes, the winter warlock was suddenly standing before his brother, hands furiously gripping the fabric of Jon's robe as he glared with murderous intensity at the bearded warlock. Jon's own stare was full of shock and fear as he stood stock still in Jack's shaking grasp.

_"Tell...me...who...you...made...a...promise...to," _Jack hissed inhumanly, each word drawn out and dripped in venom.

"E-E-Elisa," Jon stammered. "It was Elisa. S-She was the first one I p-promised."

Just as quickly as Jack's fury had boiled over, it calmed back down. Hardened eyes full of hate now softened with shock, and angry shaking turned to the kind of nervous trembling that meant someone was about to cry. The strength seemed to flee from Jack as well, because his hands fell away from Jon's robe and he took a few unsteady steps backwards; he managed to catch himself on Scott's desk, as he had when he had been surprised by Jon's appearance.

"Elisa?" Jack eventually repeated, his voice climbing an octave. "Y-You spoke to Elisa?"

Jon nodded slowly and cautiously. "Yes," he confirmed. "She came to me a few weeks ago feeling upset about...well, many things really. By the darkness, by the hopelessness of the king and queen...and by you."

"Me?" Jack glanced up briefly in confusion. "Why would she be upset about me?"

"We both know why, Jack," Jon said simply.

Jack closed his eyes and nodded. "Because of what I did to her," he sighed. "Because of the monster I became. She tried to help me, but I was too far gone to care or to listen."

Jon nodded as well. "She told me how much she still misses you, Jack. When I spoke to her she said she wanted to hold you in her arms so badly that she would be perfectly willing to embrace a monster, if only it meant some small part of you was able to love her, deep down. So you see, you didn't completely drive her away. There's a part of her that still longs to be with you."

As Jack inhaled the tears came suddenly to the surface; within a moment he was rubbing his hands up and down slowly over his eyes, trying to obliberate any evidence of his pain. Not that it was much use, really...he had bottled these feelings up for too long, and now they were going to come out whether he wanted them to or not. This was a force beyond his control right now.

Jon came forward after awhile, and wrapped his arm consolingly around his brother. It was a heartwrenching scene to watch Jack bury his face in Jon's robe and let himself go, while Jon himself tenderly stroked long circles against his sibling's back. After several minutes had passed in this fashion, Jon caught the eyes of Bernard and Scott, who had been respectfully and worriedly remaining silent in the background until things wound back down.

Jon offered them a sad smile, before asking quietly, "Would you please excuse us for a moment? I believe Jack and I have a lot to discuss soon, and most of it is not for the ears of anyone but us."

"Of course," Bernard replied, clearing his throat as he turned and made to grab Scott's arm. "We'll come back in awhile to see if everything's alright. In the meantime, you deserve your privacy."

Scott let himself be led out by his head elf as Jon nodded appreciatively. Soon the familiar landscape of his office was left behind him, and he and Bernard were walking down one of the workshop's long hallways. The only sounds were of the two men's footsteps tapping against the floor and reverberating off the walls and ceiling.

"Do you think that Fro...that Jack is alright?" Bernard asked Scott quietly, once they were quite out of ear shot of the Legendary's office and anyone else who might be transversing the Christmassy corridors.

Scott shook his head helplessly in response to his head elf's question. He honestly wasn't sure what to think, or how he could help Jack. And he certainly didn't know what to think about this darkness and Jack's possible role in its war against Coventry - if Scott had interpreted what Jon had said right, then Jack had obviously done some less than noble things in his life. The question was what had Jack done, and how had it affected him, his family, Coventry, and this Elisa person whom he seemed to have loved and lost?

"I don't know if Jack's alright, Bernard," Scott sighed finally, with a shake of his head and a tug of his beard. "I just don't know."

_**I finally got another chapter out! Hoo-rah! I know this isn't the most action-packed story starting out, but I really want to set up some groundwork before I rush into anything. I hope I can still make this interesting for people, though! **_

**_One way I hoped to do that was by creating a love interest for Jack...Elisa. I took the name from the Rankin-Bass movie "Jack Frost," because I love referencing little things like that. Besides the name, my Elisa will be not be like the Rankin-Bass Elisa, however - one major difference being that my Elisa is not human, but rather a magical figure. _**

**_Another way I'm trying to make this story interesting is by using flashbacks and foreshadowing. I love utilizing those things in my writing because I personally find that it can grip readers and make them want to find out more. I hope I have accomplished that in this chapter, because a good portion of it was flashbacks and foreshadowing. _**

**_Well, there's not a lot more I can say about this. I hope you all enjoyed this chapter, and are still interested to find out more of what's going on and what has happened! _**

**_Finally, onto the disclaimers. I've seen some writers do this, so I'm going to make a habit of doing it too. I do not own The Santa Clause movies, nor do I own any characters (such as Jack, Bernard and Scott) from those movies. I also do not own anything associated with Rankin-Bass. Coventry, Queen Miranda, King Aron, Ileana, and Karsh do not belong to me, either - they are all from the movie T*Witches, and therefore are owned by Disney. I do own Jack's brother Jonathen Frost, as well as my version of Elisa. _**

**_(Just a little side note: I made some edits to the last chapter in order to make it a bit more clear, so if you want to brush up on what's going on as well as re-read the edited version of chapter one, I encourage you to do so! :D)_**

**_~Felicity-Neverhawk_**


	4. Chapter Three

Chapter Three

As soon as Bernard and Scott left the room, Jack pulled away from Jon's embrace and swiftly composed himself. The winter warlock turned his back to his brother for a moment, so that he could erase all hints of his distress and embarrassment. When he was done he met Jon face to face once again.

"I'm sorry I was angry with you earlier," Jack, deciding to start the conversation, said with a slight, guilty tilt of his head towards his chest.

"No need to apologize," Jon assured, though admittedly he was still reeling a bit from the experience. "I probably would have reacted the same way if I were in your shoes."

Jack managed a smirk. Good old Jon, lying as he typically did just to make him feel less like a temperamental frost-face. The smirk quickly from his lips, however, as myriad anxieties seized at his thoughts again, all rivaling for his attention and getting jumbled together in the process. With an effort he managed to organize his mind in such a way as to prioritize his concerns and questions more or less, and then he was finally able to find his voice again.

"So, what's all this talk about Conventry? And don't you dare beat around the bush anymore, Jon, I haven't got any patience or nerves left for that. You've already shamed me enough with the past, and in front my boss and his second-in-command no less! Now I want you to explain - _explicitly_ \- what's going on in Coventry, in the _present._ You seem to have enlightened Santa with such an explanation, because he looked as frazzled as a pixie. So I want you to tell me what you told him, Jon...please."

Jon sighed. The fast-paced, urgent quality of his brother's voice, concluded with the heartfelt 'please', reminded him all too strongly of his main purpose in coming to the North Pole at all. He had spoken of the matter vaguely with Santa before Jack came in, yes. He had been hoped to avoid discussing it with Jack, however, until the last possible moment.

Now that that moment was here, Jon wished what he had to impart was an easier and less overwhelming topic of discussion. But he conceded to himself for what felt like the umpteenth time that it just _wouldn't_ be easy, and that was that.

"To make a long story very short, Coventry...is under attack by the darkness once again," Jon said, in a low, horrified undertone despite the fact he and Jack were alone in the room. "It's already targeted the main city on several occasions and claimed many lives. Some..." Here his voice hitched, almost dying completely. "...some have even had their souls destroyed, or their shadows forcibly taken. It's unbearable, Jack, just unbearable and unreal. Things are quiet for the time being, but I know it will not be for long. Gods above..."

Jack had been pacing as his brother spoke; now he was sinking into Scott's sofa, subdued by horror, fear, and buried memories that were digging their way back up to the surface, inch by inch. The darkness, back again? But hadn't Queen Miranda and King Aron managed to defeat it years ago, and in the process sever its negative hold on him (though too late, he acknowledged with remorse)? Why had it returned?

At last, Jack asked weakly, "What measures has the royal family gone to this time to safeguard against the darkness?"

"Every creature of magical blood that is willing to fight has taken up arms, in any way they can," Jon explained grimly. After a second he sank his face into his hands with a moan. "Ileana and Karsh have even been training witches and warlords as young as eight hundred to become advisors for the cause. But the efforts feel hopeless, Jack! Every day the darkness is wiping out more villages, its shadowy soldiers and defectors from the side of the light killing and torturing and recruiting more of Coventry's people with each passing moment. At the rate this has been going, the kingdom will fall within a month, perhaps even _weeks..."_

_"NO,__ IT WON'T!"_ Jack interrupted fiercely. He knew he was screaming and losing his cool again, but he didn't care. "Coventry was once my home...my _only_ home! But I still care about it, and care about those I left behind. I'm not about to let the darkness take any of that away. We have to _act,_ Jonathen, before it destroys everything!"

Jon tried to interpose, "Jack..."

_"No, Jon! _The darkness has caused pain and suffering to so many, for so long. This has to end." Jack swiftly rocketed to his feet and resumed his pace, this time with a much more furious and passionate feeling in his steps. "It _has_ to be stopped. And this time, I'm not going to be foolish and let it twist me around like it did years ago. I'm actually going to help put a stop to its reign of chaos, once and for all!"

Jon opened his mouth to reply, but soon thought better of it. It was not wise to speak to Jack when he was worked up like this. If Jon tried to calm him down now, he would only get unwanted backlash.

_At least he's expressing himself, and without freezing everything in his immediate vicinity, _he thought, recalling times when Jack's emotions had gotten away from him (and quite hazardously at that). Once Karsh had slipped on a patch of ice that Jack had inadvertently created in the castle hallway, and the warlock was unable to stand again for nearly a month, as Jon seemed to remember.

The bearded warlock was broken out of this momentary recollection when Jack ceased his pacing and, this time with a surprisingly softer tone and volume to his voice, asked, "Um, how...how is Elisa? Is she safe? What about her mother, and her siblings?"

Not thrown off by the change in subject (as he was used to it after all these years), Jon replied, "The King and Queen are looking after her. She is one of only a handful of spring witches still around. Many were captured or killed when the darkness gained a definitive foothold again these last few years. Elisa's mother was among those spared, but one of her sisters has been missing for some time. I honestly don't know how Elisa has been able to cope with it all...though I suppose living at the castle has helped some. There are familiar people to her there, including her mother."

Jack's face remained expressionless. He couldn't afford to think _too_ much about Elisa...not yet, at least. Soon perhaps, after he had had more time to think about the drastic circumstances in Coventry, he would let his mind pull back the curtain of the past more willingly. For now, he felt it was time to bid adieu to Jon, and walk back to his home at the North Pole.

As if reading his thoughts, Jon stood up and said, "I'll give you some space, and some time to process everything, alright? I'll hang around here for a little while, perhaps inquire of Santa if he'd mind me sightseeing. I've only ever read about the North Pole in the history books. But don't hesitate to come and find me, once you've mulled things over."

Jack nodded, and collapsed wearily back onto Santa's sofa. Jon watched with grim thoughtfulness for a moment as his brother dragged a pillow closer towards him and hugged it tightly to his chest. The gesture combined with Jack's shaken, tired expression signified the toll their conversation had had. Jon sighed...an action which seemed to be turning into a habit.

_There's still so much to talk about, and not enough time to talk about it all, it seems, _he thought. _Maybe soon, we'll speak more plainly heart to heart. But first we must put defeating the darkness as our first and foremost priority._

With this pressing concern looming over him, Jon swept out of the room, leaving Jack to reflect and relish in some well-deserved solitude.

**_*peeks out from behind curtain* Um...hi there? Wow, I haven't updated this in forever. I'm SO sorry, everyone! Life has been rough and overwhelming for, like, the last year or so. Hopefully I will be able to write more; I really missed it. _**

**_This chapter is shorter than my last two (and it's less exciting), but the story will start picking up more in the next couple chapters. Any feedback would be appreciated, but considering how busy life can get I'd be happy with seeing that at least some of you are reading my little tale. :)_**

**_~Felicity-Neverhawk_**

**_Disclaimer: I do not own any characters in this story except Jon Frost and my own version of Elisa at the present time. A few more OC's may show up later. Any characters you recognize belong to their respective owners, and not me. _**


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